PLATE ZXIX. 



HERODIAS EGRETTOIDES (Gould). 



PLUMED EGRET. Genus: Herodias. 



OF all these beautiful Herons not one is more beautiful than the Plumed Egret, with its snowy 

 plumage rendered more striking by the shower of long acuminated feathers that fall like white spray 

 from the middle of the back and the chest. In size it is larger than the H. alba and smaller than the 

 H. melanopus, and for this reason is called by V. Hasseley H. intermedia. 



It is generally dispersed over the northern, eastern, and southern coasts of Australia, a fact that 

 leads us to suppose these Water Herons to be great wanderers. Except during the breeding season, when 

 the plumes are assumed, and the birds gather together in great numbers, they are very solitary, it being 

 rare to find more than a pair together. 



The egg is a regular oval ; texture, smooth ; colour, pale sea-green. Average length, 1 inch 1 1 

 lines; breadth, 1 inch 4 lines. (Legge.) 



The plumage, purely white ; bill and orbits, yellow ; feet and lower part of the tarsi, black ; upper 

 part of the tarsi, inclining to flesh-colour. (Gould.) 



Total length, 24 inches. 



Habitats : Derby (N.W.A.), Port Darwin and Port Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria, ( Cape York, 

 Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, 

 south coast of New Guinea. (Ramsay.) 



HERODIAS ALBA (Linn.) 



A USTRALIAN EGRET. Genus : Herodias. 



nnHIS is the king of the Herons in point of size, and is almost as beautiful as the Plumed Egret in 

 plumage. During spring it has the same beautiful arrangement of plumes on the back, though it 

 lacks them on the chest. 



The Australian Egret well deserves its name, as no bird of the genus is more generally distributed 

 over the continent. Wherever rivers and lagoons are to be found not yet too populated by man, there 

 can be met this bird. Its habits are very solitary, for we gather from Mr. Gregory that it is " only 

 found on the banks of rivers and inlets, and in no instance did we see more than one at a time. It flies 

 very slowly, and in form much resembles the Common Crane." 



So shy and distrustful is its nature that it can only be approached by the greatest care and 

 precaution. Its flight is rather powerful, and at times long sustained, when it glides through space at a 

 great height in the air. Its food is the same as that of others of its genus — fish, frogs, aquatic 

 insects, etc. 



The sexes are alike in outward appearance even to the possession of similar ornamental plumes 

 during the breeding season. 



